Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Kate Richardson — Fri, 03 May 2019 15:06:30 GMT

I spoke to Boehringer about this several years ago- there is absolutely no benefit to giving the 0.3mg/kg dose over the 0.2mg/kg dose. It doesn't last longer or give superior pain relief. And it limits you being able to follow on with oral medication if needed. So simply, use the 0.2mg/kg dose rate.

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Yantha Smyth — Fri, 03 May 2019 14:51:22 GMT

[quote user="Thomas Johnson"]I've also noticed several vets giving daily injections of Metacam to cats and dogs at 0.2mg/kg, which does worry me that they are over-dosing. If I have to continue with injectable Metacam rather than being able to give it orally I reduce the dose to 0.1mg/kg for dogs and 0.05mg/kg for cats.[/quote]

This has always made me cringe when I have come across daily loading dose injections!! I too use the maintenance dose rate even if injections are needed daily.

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Rob Loxley — Fri, 03 May 2019 13:54:49 GMT

[quote user="Charlotte Marshall"]I just use the lower dose when following up with oral solution. We have never bothered stocking the 2mg/ml injection.[/quote]

Likewise; but you are strictly giving an off-label dose rate as the licensed dose is of the individual product, not active ingredient. But no, this does not worry me either.

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Charlotte Marshall — Wed, 01 May 2019 15:23:13 GMT

I just use the lower dose when following up with oral solution. We have never bothered stocking the 2mg/ml injection. I have no problems drawing up the dose needed with a 1ml syringe. I think the difference in dose that is achieved with the 'more accurate' drawing up of 2 mg/ml solution is negligible. (e.g. for a 4.8 kg cat given 0.19ml of 5mg/ml versus 0.48ml of 2 mg/ml the cat gets 0.01mg of meloxicam less).

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Bob Russell — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 16:05:26 GMT

We get round the problem by using Loxicom (not available at present) so there is no confusion. Lower dose if following up with oral solution.

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Neil Wheadon — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:58:31 GMT

[quote user="Anna Riddoch"]It's all contained within the Metacam Cat Injection 2mg/ml datasheet. Both 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg doses are there. It's not on the 5mg/ml datasheet or bottle as BI has decided we can't be accurate enough dosing 0.2mg/ml from the 5mg/ml. As above - you must not follow the higher dose with oral metacam. [/quote]

Which kind of begs the question 'Why not' because there are many practices that don't have the 2mg/ml dose and use the 5mg/ml bottle for both species.

Neil

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:50:29 GMT

[quote user="Anna Riddoch"]It's all contained within the Metacam Cat Injection 2mg/ml datasheet.[/quote]

Anna Riddoch A first time poster: thank you and welcome

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Thomas Johnson — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:49:13 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Dennison"]

A one off dose of Metacam in a cat - 0.3mg/kg (0.06ml/kg)

If it's an injection before they go home on an oral course of metacam it's the lower dose of 0.2mg/kg (0.04ml/kg of the 5mg/ml injectable for dogs and cats).

We found this out after one of the vets checked the data sheet and said giving 0.06ml/kg before starting oral metacam at home was wrong - checked with Boehringer and that was the answer we got.

[/quote]

The 5mg/ml injectable for dogs and cats was for a long time the only licensed Metacam for cats, back in the days before the oral cat Metacam was available, with the licence for a one-off dose of 0.3mg/kg.

I think the 2mg/ml injectable was introduced at the same time as the 0.5mg/ml oral suspension, with the license for an injection of 0.2mg/kg followed, if necessary, by an oral dose of 0.05mg/kg daily.

I tend to use the higher dose if I am giving it as a one-off, and the lower dose if I want to give a course of it.

I've also noticed several vets giving daily injections of Metacam to cats and dogs at 0.2mg/kg, which does worry me that they are over-dosing. If I have to continue with injectable Metacam rather than being able to give it orally I reduce the dose to 0.1mg/kg for dogs and 0.05mg/kg for cats.

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Anna Riddoch — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:46:33 GMT

It's all contained within the Metacam Cat Injection 2mg/ml datasheet. Both 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg doses are there. It's not on the 5mg/ml datasheet or bottle as BI has decided we can't be accurate enough dosing 0.2mg/ml from the 5mg/ml. As above - you must not follow the higher dose with oral metacam.

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Anthony Dennison — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:34:22 GMT

A one off dose of Metacam in a cat - 0.3mg/kg (0.06ml/kg)

If it's an injection before they go home on an oral course of metacam it's the lower dose of 0.2mg/kg (0.04ml/kg of the 5mg/ml injectable for dogs and cats).

We found this out after one of the vets checked the data sheet and said giving 0.06ml/kg before starting oral metacam at home was wrong - checked with Boehringer and that was the answer we got.

RE: Metacam doses for cats - which bottle?

Sammy82 — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:29:58 GMT

I've noticed that as well, makes no sense whatsoever.